Infectious waste

Material and waste that has been in contact with or contain infectious agents are to be decontaminated before it is reused or discarded. Infectious waste includes infectious agents that can cause infection in humans (Risk Group 2-4) and waste that contain or has been in contact with human body fluids or tissue.

Decontamination is to take place as close to the source as possible with a validated method, for example autoclaving or chemical disinfection.

When the waste has been inactivated, it can be disposed of as combustible waste or poured into a sink, if there are no other risks with the waste that needs to be considered (such as chemicals, antibiotics or radioactivity).

In a laboratory the strictest rules should apply to the whole laboratory. Example: If work with Risk Group 2 bacteria is carried out in a laboratory where also non-infectious organisms are used, all waste should be handled as infectious waste.

Infectious waste that contains sharp objects (e.g needles, scalpels, cannulae, microscope slides) are to be placed in safety containers labelled with “UN 3291” and the text “skärande och stickande avfall”, intended for infectious waste. See separate section “Sharp waste”.

Handling at Campus Valla and Norrköping

Sharp waste that is infectious is to be sent to approved facility for destruction, see section “Sharp waste”. All other infectious waste must be decontaminated locally (in each laboratory).

Handling at Campus US

Infectious waste containing agents in Risk Group 2 can in most cases be sent as infectious waste UN 3291 to an external facility for destruction. Waste containing infectious agents in Risk Group 3-4 must be inactivated locally (in the laboratory where it was generated). In these cases the waste handling routine needs to be approved by the Swedish Work Environment Authority in the process of notifying use of infectious agents.

Note! Make sure that the waste does not contain infectious agents in the higher risk category Category A (link here to MSB ADR-S, in Swedish). These are agents that when transported can result in permanent invalidity or life threatening/deadly disease in otherwise healthy persons or animals. Generally, the agents on this list belong to Risk Group 3 or 4, with a few exceptions of agents in Risk Group 2 (only cultures).

Packing and labelling of infectious waste UN 3291

Before being sent for destruction the waste needs to be packed and labelled according to the rules for infectious waste UN 3291. Waste containers to be used at LiU are available for purchase in the system Raindance. 

Liquid waste is to be poured into tight fitting vessels before placed in the waste container (plastic or paper box). Vermiculite or other absorbing material needs to be added to the container in enough amount to absorb the total liquid volume in case the primary vessel(s) break(s).

Before the waste containers leave the laboratory, the containers must be firmly sealed/closed and the label or marking on the container filled out with name, phone number and division.

Place the waste containers in the recycling room ("miljörum") and order pick up by using the webform for Customer support, see "Contacts - Region Östergötland, campus US" in the column to the right.